As we are renting the tea room from the temple and Myoju-ji has been kind to us, we invited them for tea to show our gratitude. Mrs. N, a friend of theirs who teaches tea in Tokyo was also a guest for the tea.

社中の生徒二人が濃茶と薄茶を差し上げた後、点心（懐石を弁当にしたもの）をお召し上がりいただきました。

Two (2) students from our Shachu served ko’icha and usucha, followed by tenshin (a bento version of kaiseki).

To enjoy the season, usucha was done in the shibadate style (tema’e on the grass) with a tabidansu. The te’ishu lowers the hishaku on the futa’oki, takes a bow, and then pulls out the lower shelf. The shelf is placed between the corner of the tabidansu and the outer corner of the ro. Although inside the tea room, it creates a little bit of atmosphere of cherry blossom viewing out on the grass.

【道具の一部紹介】 Utensils Used (Partial List)

而妙斎宗匠先生の花押入土田友湖作出帛紗/Dashibukusa by Yu’uko Tsuchida with Jimyo’u-sa’i So’usho’u (current Grand Master)’s signature
米国東海岸地区が立ち上げられた際の引き出物です。米国50州に因み50の桜がちりばめられています。/A commemorative gift for the launch of the U.S. East Coast Branch. 50 cherry blossoms are scattered for each of the 50 States.